FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (May 19, 2011)  Finding $400 billion in additional defense spending reductions over the next 12 years will require careful thought that considers the risks the reductions create, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today. In a question-and-answer session with students at the U.S. Army Engineer School here, Gates warned against what he called the managerial cowardice of across-the-board cuts, advocating instead an approach that retains excellence in the missions the military keeps while cutting missions and programs that have value but would pose an acceptable level of risk if eliminated ... Gates said politically hard issues such as military compensation, retirement and health care costs, as well as base closures, also need to be part of the discussion ... If you make that decision and cut that force, he said, the enemy always has a vote. The secretary presented a hypothetical example in which the United States is involved in a future conflict in Korea. Whos to say that the Iranians dont say, What a great opportunity  the Americans are busy over here, lets take advantage of the situation? he asked the students rhetorically.

Ah, yes, Leonard Wood. Took my basic training there in July & August of 1960. 12-mile forced marches with 9-lb M-1 Garand rifle, helmet and full backpack. 110 degrees in the shade. Ah, yes, those were the days. In Korea they put up signs that said, “If you think THIS is hell, wait ‘til you get to Ft. Leonard Wood.”

You might be surprized to see it today. It is now the home of the Engineers, Military Police, and Chemical Corps (WMD specialists). Several years ago it made the top 100 best communities in the U.S. to live at (the Fort not the surrounding areas). Other than still being far from a major city, it is really quite nice.

Most of the stuff from WWII (Barracks, etc.) are all gone now. In fact the few left are a museum area.

3
posted on 05/20/2011 7:56:22 PM PDT
by Sola Veritas
(Trying to speak truth - not always with the best grammar or spelling)

Back in the day (Don’t tou just hate that phrase) Old
Fort Leonard Wood was known to all as the “ Armpit of America.”
There were a lot of Army Post in the running for that title but
Leonard was the Pit to end all Pits.

Me too in Jan-Feb ‘61 thanks to JFK drafting me after the commies built that wall around E. Berlin. Being from Michigan, I expected winter at FLW to be a vacation - who knew that it rains there at below freezing temps when you're crawling through the infiltration course. The butt cans in those coal fired WWll barracks were frozen in the mornings when the DI greeted us.

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